By editorial board • 

Anderson over Hyder, and Towery over Reyes

Four seats are up this year on the McMinnville School Board.

Last week, we weighed in on Positions 4 and 5, both featuring tried and true incumbents willing to continue their contribution. This week, our focus is on Positions 6 and 7, both destined to be filled by someone new to board service in McMinnville.

Our endorsements this week go to Lu Ann Anderson, who features one of the best school board resumes we’ve ever seen, and Doris Towery, whose public service credentials are less education-centric, but equally exceptional.

Anderson has devoted her entire adult life to public education, serving by turn as a teacher, administrator, professor and consultant in the field.

She’s worked for the Newberg, McMinnville and Salem-Keizer public school districts, Willamette Education Service District, Oregon Department of Education, and George Fox and Portland State universities. Now semi-retired, she is continuing to maintain an active educational consulting practice.

If all that weren’t impressive enough, Anderson put in seven years of distinguished service on the Yamhill-Carlton School Board before moving to McMinnville in 2003. In addition, she’s held gubernatorial appointment to the Oregon State Rehabilitation Council for four years, served four years each with Yamhill County’s System of Care and Family Well Being Council, and held a seat on the MV Advancements Board since 2015.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the State University of New York’s Empire State University system and a master’s degree in special education, her career specialty, from Portland State University. She earned her administrative credentials at Lewis & Clark College.

Anderson is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, which has given her valuable perspective from the parental side. She stresses the importance of “building a school district where your children can thrive,” and promises to be “a passionate advocate for McMinnville children and families.”

Anderson’s opponent, dentist Todd Hyder, is the son of two local educators. After completing his K-12 education in McMinnville, he completed undergraduate studies at Villanova University and completed his graduate studies in dentistry at Temple University, both highly regarded.

A fourth-generation Oregonian, he and his wife have three children, a 2002 Mac High grad, a ninth-grader at Mac High and a fifth-grader at Memorial Elementary.

“Public education is in trouble,” he said. We’re losing kids to privates.”

He said he’s dedicated to “helping our children achieve success” and “strengthening the district’s connection with the local business community.” He’s also an advocate for athletics and athletic facilities.

We think Hyder would make a solid contributor, and would have little hesitation supporting him against a candidate of lesser qualification. However, we think Anderson offers an unmatched record of knowledge, experience and achievement in public education, giving voters an opportunity not to be missed.

In the position 7 race, Towery, holder of a degree in speech communication from Indiana University, boasts a virtually lifelong career of public service.

She has served as manager of the Oregon Oncology Clinic, executive director of the Willamette Valley Cancer Foundation, development director with the Yamhill Community Action Partnership, vice president of development with Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, executive director of the Eugene Hearing & Speech Center, CEO of United Way of Lane County and president of the Lane Transit Board. Earlier in her career, she also served as a newspaper publisher.

Towery has spent 23 years in Oregon and six in McMinnville.

She is the mother of a pair of recent Mac High grads, and is currently hosting a foreign exchange student from Italy. So she has a current feel for the parental side of public education.

She bills herself as a “proven, positive, purpose-driven leader” — one committed to “building a path to success for all of our children.” She is particularly passionate about boosting local literacy and graduation rates.

Squaring off against Towery is marriage and family therapist Shellie Reyes, whose specialty is service as a school-based mental health specialist. She said she’s “ready to listen to parental concerns and ideas … and encourage parental participation.”

A former Sweet Home resident who has four bilingual children, she holds a bachelor’s from Western Oregon University and master’s from George Fox. She said she’s never attended a school board meeting in person, but has viewed some online.

Reyes said 90% of her close friends are homeschoolers, but she has three youngest at Memorial Elementary. Her eldest is currently at the McMinnville Christian Academy, she said, but will probably finish up at Mac High.

Among her endorsements is that of her pastor, former McMinnville police chief and state representative Ron Noble. But we think Towery’s wealth of administrative, health and nonprofit service would make her the best fit and strongest asset on the board.

Comments

Jim

I’m writing in support of Dr. Todd Hyder for School Board position #6. As stated in his bio, Dr Hyder’s ties to this community are long and deep with parents previously employed in , and with children recently and currently attending school in this district. Having previously served on our school board, I can attest that this position is best served by someone who is a team player with fresh exposure to the daily workings of our schools and the student class-room experiences. Dr Hyder has that and the stability of a long-time resident and businessman here in McMinnville.

citizenZ

It's not shocking, but still shocking that the leftist N-R would support all Progressive Yamhill / Democrat candidates who support CRT and the sexualization of children, while providing abortions and transgender transitions for children without parental involvement or consent.

tagup

Well, at least we now know the underlying agenda for the candidates you support. Seems to me that the school district has more important issues than CRT and gender politics to work on.

Bleepbloop

CitizenZ has been eating too much Cocoa Puffs because he/she/they is Cuckcoo

Joel R

THe NR's lurch to the left over the past few years has made it easy to know how to vote if you're a conservative. Whoever they recommend, vote for the opposite. Kind of like when you see those yards that are covered with Hillary and Bernie signs during the general election....when the local elections come around you just vote for whoever is not on the sign in their yard.

tagup

Interesting system Joel—My system is similar: I just find the signs with full color photos that appear to be made ( and funded?) by the same source. Then I vote the opposite. :)

Bleepbloop

I’m so disappointed in people like Joel. They turn everything political. This is a school board election for goodness sake. As a member of the PTA with several children in MSD, all I want is the most qualified candidates who will not inject political positions into the school board. The current members running for re-election are qualified and passionate.

yamhillbilly2

I can help you with your question Tagup. The reason Aase , Humlie, & Reyes are promoted together is they come from a common source. All three received an “in kind” donation from the Town & Country PAC on the same day, 4/4, for the exact same amount of $1,416. I am willing to bet this is the campaign signs we see grouped in threes on the same locations that usually advertise for Republican candidates, judging by the signage for past elections. All three candidates use the same treasurer for their campaigns as the T&C PAC. One of the largest contributors is the Yamhill Republican Party. The T&C PAC has also received $3,000 from Thomas Hammer in the past 45 days. In case you do not recall, Tom is the guy who described Mike Nearman’s actions of letting protester into the Capital as ‘christ-like’. Tom sits on our county Transportation Committee because of the $1,000’s he donated to Lindsey B. Kit johnson has the same treasurer for his campaign along with considerable $’s from T&C PAC and at least $3,000 direct from Tom Hammer. They all come from a common source.

citizenZ

oh my godses, people in our county are supporting candidates that they believe in and they are Republicans!! How dare they give money to candidates. It must be some "sinister" coup attempt to take over the school board. Never mind that these are just people who work, live, and care about all children as well.

tagup

It’s the coordinated agenda that is sinister….

citizenZ

Oh please. Let's talk about the coordinated agenda of Progressive Yamhill and the Democrat party shall we?- All coming out in support of the other candidates.

If it's democracy in action that is "coordinated" by conservatives, it's evil. If it's coordinated by progressives, it's altruistic and good.

sbagwell

There's only one set of candidates running as a partisan slate, all sharing the same signage, PAC, treasurer, websites, financing, message and backers, citizen.
We saw it in Newberg and now we're seeing it in Mac. It came from the right end of the spectrum there and it's coming from the right end of the spectrum here.
You may well applaud that, which is certainly your right, but your "both sides" equivalency rings very hollow. Only one side is mounting a well-financed and highly coordinated takeover bid. Hint: It's your side.

Bill B

and it does not belong in a school board election

Joel R

sbagwell, you sounded balanced and reasonable right up until you got to "highly coordinated take over bid." Since when is trying to win an election a "take over bid?" Good grief. There is just no need to stoop to loaded, inflammatory language like that.

Bill B

Joel- Well Joel, I rarely agree with Mr. Bagwell (well actually make that never), but I agree with him on this issue. This should be a vote about individuals, not a team!

citizenZ

sabagwell, You ignore the tremendous backing of the progressive movement of the other candidates in this city and county by Progressive Yamhill and the Democrat Party. As soon as their candidates announced, they immediately started pushing their candidates on social media, letters to the editor, and unfairly attacking their opponents. All while they try and present themselves as tolerant and "we need to keep politics out of schools" line. They are well supported and can stand on their own. So, spare me the "well-financed and highly coordnated takeover bid" gaslighting.

sbagwell

The big money is only coming from one side, citizen.

The other side shows virtually no monetary activity at all. It's running about $15,000 to zero.

Steve

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